


Riff-Raff, Street Rat

by Dazzy



Category: Avatar: Legend of Korra
Genre: Aladdin AU, Disney AU, F/F
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-10-05
Updated: 2020-10-05
Packaged: 2021-03-08 03:27:39
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 4,210
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26845132
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Dazzy/pseuds/Dazzy
Summary: Ba Sing Se is big, but a world stands between Kuvira, a street rat, & Princess Korra. Until one day a lamp & a wish create a bridge between them & changes everything.
Relationships: Korra/Kuvira (Avatar), Lin Beifong/Kya II
Comments: 10
Kudos: 16





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> So I had the inspiration for this after seeing the TikTok trend with Prince(ss) Ali coming to get the princess & my mind for some reason went to a Korvira au. Bear with me, I'm trying to merge the two universes as much as possible & still have them make sense so I've taken a few artistic liberties with the details -- please bear with me. In the mean time, enjoy & please let me know what you think!

“ Hey, watch it! “

The gruff voice calls after her with a fist raised to the woman who had shoulder checked him among the crowded bazaar but she’s already vanished into the sea of people. Kuvira watches as he curses out & goes to resume walking only to stop, searching his person for a frantic second before turning back in the direction she had vanished with a shout of alarm. “ Thief! Thief! My coin purse has been stolen! “ Around him the people look about in confusion but not a soul goes to help & he’s left to question them as he passes if they’d ‘seen the woman with the green eyes ‘.

In her hand, she juggles the leather pouch with a grin, feeling the weight of it in her hand; there must be at least 6 silver pieces in here, not a bad steal of the day. With a deft hand she turns & climbs up the side of the wall using the uneven rocky surface & then disappears onto the roof. “ You’re getting sloppy. “ she hears a voice & turns to find a tall woman looking at her with brows raised. She was much older than Kuvira, with short silver hair & green eyes not too unlike Kuvira’s. The most noticeable thing about her, however, were the two grizzly scars running up the side of her face.

“ The people are getting careless, Lin. “ the thief says with a wistful sigh, “ I could rob them blindfolded. “ She longs for the days when people had been more vigilant & the thrill of the heist rooted in the risk of being caught & the challenge it presented. “ They’re walking infants with candy. “ she holds up the pouch & tosses it to Lin, “ Now we’re even in that debt I owe. “ though she winks playfully, “ Next time my money is on Wei. “ 

Lin smiles, tucking the purse into one of her pockets & leaning against the parapet. “ If you’ve had your fun, Mother has asked to see you. & you know how she hates to be kept waiting. I’d recommend getting back to HQ in a hurry. “ 

“ Has she got another job for us? “ Kuvira perks up, but Lin only shrugs.  
“ Haven’t the slightest idea. See you later, Kid. “ & with that, Lin has used one hand to launch herself over the side of the roof & into the alley below. Kuvira takes one last look at the bazaar & starts to make her way back to base.

\--------------------------------------

A voice startles her from her thoughts, pausing along one rooftop to listen closer. Again, the voice calls out, more startled than the first & feminine in origin. Curiosity piqued, Kuvira follows them to the source -- impressed when they start to lose their desperation & increase in irritation & warning. A peak over the edge shows what she’s looking for, a lone woman, head to toe in a hooded robe, surrounded by a group of men. Kuvira watches as the woman shifts into a defensive stance, brow rising at the keen form the woman takes as she slides into a Reserved Bridge stance. 

As one approaches, he’s sent backwards with a powerful blow that sends him back flat onto his back. From above, Kuvira resists the urge to cheer even as the stranger lies flat another one a moment later. Yet they’re both back on their feet a moment later & more enraged then before, the group moving in at once to subdue their target. “ That’s no good. “ Kuvira knows better than to get involved in other gang’s affairs but she wasn’t about to let this woman take on a half dozen men to herself, as impressive as she was handling herself. 

Dropping down onto the back of an unsuspecting thug, she fells him in two quick jabs to the shoulders & he drops like a rock. Taking out a second in a similar fashion before he realizes she’s there, she makes her way to the hooded woman’s side & stops a third from getting the drop on her while her back is turned. Blue eyes meet hers from under the shadow of the hood & Kuvira has to remember to breathe -- such piercing blue eyes! The woman smirks at Kuvira’s sudden stall & nods in the direction behind Kuvira. “ Watch out. “ 

Kuvira dodges to the side just as a wooden crate is brought down onto the spot she had just been, splintering to pieces in the dirt. With a vicious side swing to his temple when the thug tumbles forward, now off balance from missing his target, he drops to the ground with the others. “ You’ve got some gall messing with the Wolfbat Gang, lady. “ Kuvira says, taking up a stance back to back with the other woman, mirroring her stance. “ You got a death wish or somehting? “

“ Or something. “ she’s surprised by the melodic, deep tone of the other woman’s voice but doesn’t have time to think it over, as more men are starting to flood into the alley opening, following the sounds of the struggle. 

“ Time to go. Follow me, & keep up. “ Kuvira takes a small flask from her belt & tosses it at the ringleader, watching the ink explode in his face. Taking the hand of the stranger, Kuvira turns & starts to run through the alley in the opposite direction. Bursting into a more open street among civilians, Kuvira stops & looks back to find they’re being pursued & she takes a sharp left, against the crowd, weaving & tucking & taking smaller side streets until their assailants drift further & further away. Surprisingly, the hooded woman keeps up with ease, & at last when she can no longer see them behind her for a split second, she’s ducking into an arched doorway, tucking into the shadows & pulling the woman against her -- pulling up her own hood to conceal her trademark braided hair. 

Seconds drag on, both women panting but refuse to move until the stampede of feet passes by & the danger has passed. Even still, they stay locked together in the archway, blue eyes boring into green. From this close, Kuvira can see the details of the woman’s face -- a strong jawline & pointed chin, wide eyes & perfectly arched eyebrows with long dark hair to frame her face, a beautiful contrast to the dark of her skin, that’s tucked into two ponytails in front of her ears.. Kuvira’s smile is cheeky, “ I’m pretty versed in the faces of the locals, & I definitely have not seen you around before. What’s your name? “

As if reading into the heat that has filled Kuvira’s voice, she presses in further with a foxlike smile. “ You think just because you helped me run away from a group of bad guys earns you some kind of right to my name? “ she rests her hands on Kuvira’s chest, leaning further until their lips are inches apart. “ You’ll have to try harder than that, jade eyes. “ & with that she’s pushing herself away from Kuvira, who is looking more flustered than she would care to admit.

“ Hey, in case you didn’t know, I just saved your ass back there, blue. “ she retorts, dusting herself off as if her touch had been offensive. “ Wolfbats are no joke, & you were right in the middle of their turf. If I hadn’t showed up, you’d be on a slave caravan to the Si Wong Desert by now. “ 

Unbothered by Kuvira’s comments, the woman starts to look around, trying to get her bearings on where she is & where to go next. “ Listen, I appreciate the help & all but I didn’t ask you for it. I can handle myself, now if you’ll excuse me -- which way to the Palace? “ Out here, she can’t see which way is North or South, or the shining walls of the Ba Sing Se palace. “ I need to be getting back. “ she murmurs, noting the sun was at its highest point.

“ The Palace? “ Kuvira steps beside her, “ & why do you need to get back to the Palace? “  
When the stranger realizes her blunder, she quickly stammers up an excuse, “ I’m a servant to Princess Korra, & I’d been sent on an errand to get supplies. I got lost. “

“ A servant. “ Kuvira repeats, not buying it, but she plays along. “ I’ll show you, but you’re a long way from home & I’d hate for you to get lost again. I can’t keep rescuing you every time you get into trouble, you know. “ When she’s met with an unamused glare, Kuvira puts her hands up in mock surrender, chuckling. “ I’ll walk you back. “ Mother would just have to wait, & she can already hear the tongue lashing she’ll get when she gets back to HQ. 

For the most part, her companion remains quiet, taking in the sights as if it’s the first time she’s seeing them. Kuvira takes the opportunity to admire the woman unabashedly. “ So what do you do? For a living that is. “ Kuvira looks up, startled out of checking the girl out & seeing blue eyes watching her knowingly, a smirk playing at those lips. The thief simply smiles, unashamed. “ I help take care of my family. “ It’s not entirely a lie, “ I suppose you could say I work in trade. “

“ Trade? What kind? “

“ Hey now, I’m entitled to my own secrets too, blue. “ Kuvira responds coolly. “ What about you, what do you do in the palace? “

“ I help the princess with her princess...ly … duties. “ 

“ That sounds entirely unconvincing. “ Kuvira states, laughing, “ Alright fine, then … what’s it like in the palace? “ she asks instead, redirecting the topic. Here, her companion turns thoughtful, “ It’s like a beautiful prison. “ she says somberly, watching as a group of young children run passed with sticks in hand, playing. She gives a soft smile, but then it’s gone again. “ There’s nothing but rules & traditions, don’t do this, you can’t do that. “ frustration enters her voice & she sighs. “ Honestly, this is my first time outside of the palace walls. “

Kuvira’s brows furrow, “ But surely it must be paradise up there compared to down here. Food whenever you want it, clean water, nice clothes & a comfortable bed. “ she sounds reverent, & she notes the woman looking at her with an unreadable expression, so Kuvira clears her throat. “ It’s like heaven compared to the streets, trust me. “

“ You’re right, I suppose I take a lot for granted living up there, but don’t think that wealth can bring you everything you desire. “ she warns & Kuvira takes note of the strange warning. She doesn’t have time to comment, as they’ve come to the bazaar & the palace is in view. 

“ Well, say hello to the princess for me, blue, & next time you decide to run some errands, stick to the bazaar, okay? “ 

“ Thank you. “ she says, turning to Kuvira, “ I’ll let the Princess know you said hello & that she sends thanks for your services. “

“ For saving you? “ Kuvira interjects with a smirk.

The woman laughs, “ For guiding me home. You didn’t save my life. “

“ I absolutely saved --! “ Kuvira watches as the woman leans in to peck her on the cheek & then walks away quickly, soon disappearing into the crowd. When the hooded woman finally reaches the palace, using the lattice fencing to climb her way back over the wall, she’s greeted with a bark & a half-ton animal barreling into her. “ Naga! “ she says, ruffling her fur as she removes her hood. “ I’m fine, see? I promised I would be. “

“ Princess Korra. “ a voice cuts her short & Korra groans inwardly, “ There you are. I’ve been looking everywhere for you. Why are you dressed in such hideous clothes? Come, lets get you bathed. “ 

Korra sighs, “ Yes, Asami. “

\-------------------------------------------------

“ Sounds like a load of crock. Find some other time to play the hero to the damsel in distress, Kuvira. You should have been here hours ago. “ Toph’s voice rings across the room the moment Kuvira finishes her story of the days events. “ I have a job, & if we do this right, it’ll be the last job we ever have to do. “ Around her, the Beifong family is resting around the room, awaiting the news eagerly.

Kuvira perks up, “ What’s the job?

“ We’re going to rob the palace. “


	2. The Heist

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A second chapter, up so quickly after the first? Keep on keepin' on while the muse train is rolling. Enjoy, & let me know what you think!

While the Beifong hideout was by no means extravagant, the space was large & accommodated the guild when it needed to. However, with everyone cramped into the space of the main area, they were still shoulders to shoulder, some of the taller ones hunched over against the low ceiling & only the higher ranked were able to sit around the table, observing the crude map Lin had drawn into the thick layer of dirt on the floor. All sorts of stolen goods & random items were strewn about or piled up in the corners of the room, the tattered Beifong crest flag hanging from the ceiling though it was much too large & sagged over the junk heaps. Off to the left & right were two hallways that extended into a handful of small bedrooms with bedrolls & more junk strewn about. It was hardly cozy or clean, but to Kuvira it was home. 

Ever since she had been abandoned on the streets as a child, Toph had taken her in & shown her the ways of the thief. & Kuvira had excelled at it, quickly becoming the likely choice to take over when Toph stepped down. Around the table, Kuvira, Lin, Suyin and Toph watched as Lin moved an old walnut shell to a drawn square in the dirt. “ Suyin & I will take the western entrance at shift change, when the guards are the least saturated. Opal, Kuvira, Mako and Bolin you four will slip in while Suyin and I make a diversion. Once inside, “ she moves four mishapen beans in two different directions. “ Bolin and Mako, you two will head here & here, where my sources say there is ample hiding space but a clear lookout over the entire courtyard. Kuvira & Opal, you will head into the eastern entrance where you are closest to the treasury using the garden as your cover. “

As Lin lays out the plans even further, Kuvira feels her anticipation & excitement grow. It’s been a long time since they’d tried pulling off a heist, much less of such magnitude & it would be a make or break for the entire guild. Beside her Opal nudges her with her elbow & smirks, “ What’re you going to do with your share of the loot? I’m buying myself an air bison & moving far away from here with Bolin. Maybe one of the Air Temples. “

“ You’re terrified of heights. “ she snorts quietly, grinning. “ I don’t know yet. “ Truth be told, she hadn’t ever thought of leaving the family, this was her life & she wouldn’t trade it for the wealth in the world. “ But when you two leave, I get dibs on your room. Baatar Jr. has become absolutely intolerable with the snoring. It’s like sleeping in a badgermole den. “ There’s a clearing of a voice & though Toph isn’t looking in their direction, both girls quickly go quiet & focus on what Lin is saying. 

\------------------------------------

The following week is spent day in & day out doing mock rehearsals of the heist, going over the plans, refining details & working on contingency plans if anything were to go awry. With every possible outcome, supposedly, mapped out at last Toph gave them the go ahead to begin the real thing. They head out in their separate pairings, so as to draw less attention to themselves & make their way closer to the inner ring & the stone walls surrounding the palace. The sun has long since set & the purple-pink glow of twilight is starting to settle into the navy-blue-black of the night. The moon was new, & offered little light to guide their path but the stars shone in their billions, stretching across the sky in silent witness to the events beginning to unfold. From the distance they hear the signal -- Lin & Suyin had begun their distraction. The plan was to act out a sisterly disagreement that would lead to a mild brawl, drawing the two guards at the gate down into the street so the others could slip by against the wall unnoticed. 

As the guards did as expected, moving away with annoyance to shoo the two older, bickering women away the four of them slipped by in the shadows & made their way inside. As their informant had promise, the courtyard was currently devoid of but a straggling few guards as they switched out at the end of their watch. Surprisingly there were even fewer guards than Kuvira had anticipated, but she wasn’t about to look a gift horse in the mouth for their luck. As they had practiced, Bolin & Mako moved into position along the upper part of the courtyard, vanishing from sight. Opal tugged at her wrist, motioning to the garden & they moved as one, using the cover of tall hedges & foliage to cover the otherwise open distance to the palace entrance. 

They meet, even still, no resistance & Kuvira feels her blood singing with adrenaline. Knowing the brothers were keeping an eye out for any approaching guards from the outside, the two women started into the marbled halls & followed the route they’d been instructed to follow that would lead them to the treasury. Kuvira stops as she hears voices approaching & turns to Opal, silently motioning for her to duck into a side hallway.

“ That lamp is to be brought to my room immediately as it arrives, do you understand? I have a meeting with the King, & that artifact is of the utmost importance to me. Am I clear? “ Kuvira watches as a beautiful woman, flanked by two guards, moves quickly down the hallway they had just been in. When they pass, Kuvira & Opal are back on track. The treasury stands at the end of the corridor, a closed door but a beacon of the wealth it hid by the gold and jewel encrusted double doors that lead inside. Kuvira took point, standing beside the door to keep lookout as Opal gets to work picking the lock. It takes seconds for it to click & the door to creak open. Kuvira grins, “ They don’t call you the best lockpick in Ba Sing Se for nothing. Now let’s get this gold. “

Once inside, neither woman is prepared for the vast expanse of gold, jewels & treasures that lay in heaps & heaps throughout the room. Even they can’t resist taking a moment to truly appreciate the sight, giddy with their success thus far. “ This is enough gold to feed the whole city for a hundred years. “ Opal begins to finger through the goblets & necklaces with an appreciative eye. Beside her, Kuvira does the same but her expression is pensive. 

“ & yet they hoard it away to themselves & let the people starve. “ she growls. Remembering why they were there, they quickly begin to fill their pockets & rucksacks with as much valuables as they possibly can carry. “ Am I the only one concerned that there aren’t nearly as many guards out & about as usual? “

“ You kidding? I’d call that sheer luck. Now come on, let’s get out of here before it runs out. “ Opal is on her way back to the door & together they start the journey back outside. As they pass one hallway in particular, Kuvira spots the same two guards from earlier, a golden lamp in hand, entering one of the rooms & when they come back out, they lock the door & leave without it in hand. The lamp she’d heard the woman speaking about; though it didn’t look extraordinary, something about it resonated with Kuvira & she stopped. “ You go on ahead, I’m making one quick pit stop. “ Opal eyes her like she was mad, but she nods. “ You be safe & get out. We’re not waiting up for long. “ 

With a nod that she understands, Kuvira makes her way down the hallway as Opal leaves down the other. Picking the lock isn’t as easy for her as it would have been Opal but a minute in it clicks & Kuvira pushes the door open. Inside it looks more like a study than a bedroom, floor to ceiling with books & scrolls & artifacts. In the center, on a table, sat the lamp. Kuvira moves over to it quickly, taking it into her hand & examining it closer, feeling a sense of power radiating off of it that she couldn’t explain. She’s in such a trance, she almost misses the sound of footsteps approaching the room. Cursing her luck, she looks around for an exit, spotting the window left slightly ajar & she moves to it without question, throwing first the sacks of gold out & then following right after. 

She’s pleased to find herself on the far end of the same garden she had entered in, & she picks up her sack, puts the lamp into her pocket, & then ---

Then she’s being bowled over with a loud & angry bark, feeling the weight of the beast as it pins her to the ground. “ Fuck! “ she can see Opal in the distance, looking on with dismay & then there is a call of alarm from the window she had just jumped through. “ The lamp is missing! Search the palace! I want it found! “

Their luck has run out. 

Opal gives her one sad & apologetic, panicked look before she turns unable to keep under cover any longer. The palace was on alert now. With the fangs bared in front of her face, Kuvira attempts to shove at the polarbear dog to no avail. “ Naga! “ Kuvira freezes as the animal moves off of her & instead a face looms over her own. She’d recognize those eyes anywhere.

“ Oh, hey blue. “ she quickly sits up, grabs the rucksack & looks her over. No longer in a hood, Kuvira can see that Korra wears gowns no servant would ever be afforded & judging by the tiara on her head… “ Or should I say -- “

She’s cut off by the shouting of guards spilling from the entrance she had entered through earlier, cutting her off from her exit. “ What are you doing? “ she hears Korra hiss beside her.

“ Improvising. “ She grabs Korra’s hand, pulling her in the other direction & into the shadows, out of sight of the guards. Pulling Korra against her, she puts a dagger to her throat. “ Don’t say a word. “ she warns.  
“ You’re a thief! “ she hears spat back quietly.

“ & you’re a princess. “ Kuvira retorts, “ & you’re going to tell me how to get out of here since your little pet, “ Naga stands bristling, waiting for an opening to attack. “ Put a damper on my escape. Call her off. “ 

Korra is silent, contemplating her options before she holds up a hand. “ Down, Naga. “ she instructs, & the beast reluctantly listens. “ You know, you caused quite a ruckus there. “ she says, nodding to the Palace which now has all manner of guards running about in a frenzy. In the distance, she can see Asami searching frantically, calling out angrily to the guards as they return with news that no one has been found yet with the lamp.

“ Haven’t seen Asami that angry since -- “ she stops, “ Nevermind. Consider this returning the favor. “ she jabs an elbow into Kuvira’s gut & squirrels out of her grasp. 

“ For saving your life? “ Kuvira wheezes with a smirk.

Korra rolls her eyes, “ For helping me get back to the city. Now follow me. “ she pauses, smirking, “ & keep up. “ she echoes Kuvira’s words back to her as she heads towards the same part of the wall she had climbed over a week ago for her little adventure in the city. “ Here, use the lattice to climb up. “

Kuvira tosses the rucksack over the wall with ease, & then turns to Korra with a smirk. “ You know, you could have just told me you were the princess. Before. It wouldn’t have made a difference to me. In fact, I’d have made sure to give you a tour of the city you wouldn’t easily forget. “ 

Korra gasps at the look Kuvira gives her & the cheeky smirk on her face, slapping it clean away. Kuvira blinks in surprise, hand covering the stinging spot on her cheek where Korra had slapped her. Instead of being angry, the thief just grins wider. “ Considering I know you can fight, that just seemed like a tease. “ she winks.

The look the princess gives her now is equally cheeky, “ & I’ll do it again if you ever talk to me in such a way. I’m the princess, you’re just .. a street rat. “

The look on Kuvira’s face vanishes as she steps forward, yanking Korra in by the front of her dress until their bodies are flush. For a moment she’s silent, then, “ Better a street rat than a prisoner to her own palace. “ she tips Korra’s chin upwards with her index finger & her thumb, Korra’s defiant gaze meeting her own. “ & if you ever want to escape, come find me, Korra. “

& like that she’s turning to the lattice siding, listening as the guards start to close in. Once she reaches the top, she takes one last look at Korra as the princess steps forward, “ Wait, you didn’t tell me your name, thief. “ her smile gives her away from the stern lilt in her voice. Kuvira merely winks, “ You think because you helped me escape that you’ve earned the right to know my name? “ she pauses, “ See you around, Blue. “ & then she drops off the other side, collects her rucksack of goods & makes for the rendezvous point back at the Beifong estate, almost forgetting about the lamp nestled safely in her pocket.


End file.
